


Red Hands

by Canadian_girl2000



Series: Whumptober 2020 [2]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Bloody Hands, Dick Grayson Gets a Hug, Dick Grayson Needs a Hug, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Jason Todd is a good brother, Panic Attacks, Whumptober, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:33:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26786752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Canadian_girl2000/pseuds/Canadian_girl2000
Summary: A fight in the cave leads to Jason finding out about Dick killing The Joker.Whumptober day 2: Bloody Hands
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Jason Todd
Series: Whumptober 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1946773
Comments: 5
Kudos: 222





	Red Hands

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this a full 3 hours before the end of day 2. God, I'm such a procrastinator. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this fic!

Dick had no idea how the argument had started, or why. He thought they were over this. All he’d wanted was to spend his days off with his family, to relax. Instead, he’s being witness to a screaming match in the cave.

“If you’d just get rid of him, this wouldn’t’ve fucking happened! It would never happen again!” Jason screamed, a finger pointed at Bruce. They had just gotten back from patrol. Joker had escaped Arkham and had unleashed chaos on Gotham once again. They didn’t have a body count yet, but Dick knew that it was probably well over twenty. He was just so. damn. tired. He hated this. It had been going so well. Jason wasn’t actively trying to kill Bruce each time he saw him, they’d even managed to work together once without coming to blows.

He took a step forward. “Jay-” he started but Jason whirled on him, eyes burning with fury.

“You don’t get to say anything Golden Boy. I know you never cared much for me, but what about Babs? What about all those people? You can’t bring yourself to stop him? Even when he keeps killing people? I get the old man, but you? All it would take to end all this suffering is one bullet. That’s it. One bullet then no more fucking Joker. I mean come on,” Jason turned back to Bruce, but Dick couldn’t hear him anymore passed the pounding in his head. He doesn’t realize when his breathing picks up speed. All he can hear is laughter and the sound of fists pounding onto flesh and bone.

_“All the deaths!”_

_Punch_

_“All the pain!”_

_Punch_

_“When is it enough Joker?!?”_

_The Joker goes flying, crashing into a pew._

_“Aw jeez… I hit Jason a lot harder than that.”_

_The Joker looks up, gives him a crooked smile._

_“His name was Jason, right?”_

Dick can feel something warm running along the back of his hands. He looked down. His hands were bloody. They were sticky with The Joker’s blood. He’d done that. He’d let the Joker win. He...He…

“Dick?”

His head snapped up. Four pairs of eyes were staring at him. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t. Dick turned around and ran. He stumbled his way up the staircase to the manor, bolted past Alfred and out the front door. He scrambled onto his bike and sped away, hoping the speed and the sound of the wind rushing past him would drown out the laughing. It didn’t. He couldn’t go back to his apartment. They would find him there. He had to get away. He had to.

When Dick stopped his bike, he had no idea where he was. He dropped his bike and made his way up the closest fire escape. He went to the nearest corner, and all but collapsed. He brought his knees to his chest and stared at his hands. They were red. Why were they still red? He could hear the laughter again. He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t breathe!

He doesn’t hear the footsteps approaching him. When a hand landed on his shoulder he flinched.

“Don- Don’t touch me!” he screamed. The hand leaves.

“Okay, I’m not touching you, Dick. But I need you to breathe with me, okay?” Whoever was sitting in front of him started breathing loudly, exaggerating each breath. He tried to match his breathing, he tried!

“Come on, Dick. You can do this. Just breathe with me. In through the nose, and out through the mouth.” He eventually managed to match his breathing to the other person’s. He raised his head and froze. Jason. Jason was sitting in front of him. Jason, who looked relieved when his eyes caught his. Why would he be relieved? Dick was a terrible brother, and he couldn’t blame Jason for hating him.

“None of that, Big Bird. Wherever your head is taking you, don’t go.” Jason said softly.

“Why?” Dick whispered. He could feel Jason moving. He didn’t stop him. Jason was going to leave.

“Tim told me,” Jason said from his new position next to Dick. He was as close as he could get without touching his older brother. “I’m sorry Dick. I shouldn’t have said that to you. I was angry and I was wrong.”

“You weren’t though!” Dick exclaimed, startling Jason. “I was a horrible brother to you! I didn’t even go to your funeral for Christ’s sake!”

“It wasn’t your fault Dick, Bruce didn’t tell you,” Jason said, “and no. You are not a terrible brother. I can’t blame you for how you reacted back then. I mean, I had the same reaction when Bruce replaced me. Sure you were a lot less murdery, but still. It hurts, and I get that now. Even now, you’re trying your best. It’s thanks to you that I’m on speaking terms with Bruce and the others.” Jason shifted so that he was facing Dick. “Look at me.” Dick complied, slowly looking up. “No matter what anyone says, I want you to know that you are the best brother and that I am so glad I am part of your family.” 

Dick couldn’t help it, he started crying. He brought his hands to his face as sobs racked his body. Jason reached towards him and pulled him into a firm embrace. Dick buried his head into Jason’s chest and cried. All though it Jason rubbed circles on his back and whispered comforting nothings into his ear until he was nothing more than a hiccuping mess.

“M’sorry I ruined your jacket,” Dick said, words muffled by the fabric of Jason’s jacket.

“It’s okay, it’s just a jacket.”

They sat in silence, Dick holding onto Jason like he would disappear if he let go.

“Do you want to talk about what happened with the Joker?” Jason asked. No. He didn’t. But Jason deserved to know.

“He had Tim,” he said in a shaky voice, “He had Tim. We thought he was dead. They told me he was dead and it was all the Joker’s fault.” He had been so broken that day. He had lost a second brother. “I did it. I killed him. I thought he’d killed Tim. I was still mad for what he’d done to Babs. But then he brought up your name and I just couldn’t. I lost control. I-I let my anger carry me.” He had been happy. He had avenged his brothers. “He was dead and I was… I was happy about it.” Dick brought his head away from Jason. “I let him win Jay. The Joker won because of me.” He couldn’t look at Jason. He didn’t want to see the look in his eyes. He started crying again and he hated himself for being so weak.

“You didn’t let him win, Dick. The Joker is a sick fucking bastard, but he didn’t win.” 

“But he did! I was happy! I was glad he was dead, Jason.” Dick exclaimed, pushing away from Jason. “You didn’t see Bruce once they found us. He couldn’t look at me. I was no better than the scum in Arkham.”

“NO! No, you’re not Dick. You are nothing like them. Fuck what Bruce thinks. Dick, you are the best of us. You are the glue that keeps us all together. You made a mistake, okay? We all make mistakes. Your feelings were completely reasonable.” Jason insisted, reaching out once again to hug Dick. “You did not let him win, Dick.” And Dick believed him. 

Jason stood and pulled Dick up with him. “C’mon. Let’s head back.” Dick opened his mouth to protest, but before he could say anything Jason shushed him. “Not to the manor. Just to my apartment. We’ll order pizza and watch all the Disney movies you want.”

“But Tim and Damian-” he started, but Jason interrupted him.

“The baby birds can come by tomorrow.” Jason led him back down the fire escape and towards their bikes. “Want to ride with me?” he asked, grabbing his helmet. Dick nodded and climbed on behind Jason. 

The ride to the apartment was fast. Dick hadn’t realized how close he had been. Jason helped him up the stairs and to the couch once he’d unlocked his apartment. He left the room and came back a few moments later with a glass of water, which he handed to Dick before plopping down next to his brother. Jason grabbed the remote and searched until he found Dick’s favourite Disney movie, then he leaned back, his knee pressed against Dick’s, a silent way to tell his brother that he was here for him. Dick stayed quiet, slowly sipping at his water. They were half-way through the movie when he spoke up.

“Jason?”

“Yeah, Dickie?”

“Thanks”

Jason turned to him and gave him a smile, “No worries Big Bird. That’s what brothers are for.”

* * *

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**Author's Note:**

> This is an idea that's been bouncing around in my head for some time. Jason is mad that he never got avenged and yet he technically did? Dick did kill The Joker, but Bruce brought him back (why Bruce, why?). 
> 
> Dialogue from the flashback is from The Joker: Last Laugh comics, as are some of Dick's dialogue lines.


End file.
